I hope everyone has had a nice weekend so far. Mine has been rather busy which has meant very little reading but I still keep trying to fit a few minutes in here and there.
This first novel, written in 1947 by one of Canada’s most distinguished novelists, is a quiet, subtle, morally complex book about a young girl’s growth from innocence to maturity. Hetty Dorval seems to have behaved unconventionally, indeed immorally (‘a very ugly story has followed her from Shanghai to Vancouver’). But is Frankie’s adult perception of Hetty to be preferred to that of her childish innocence when she first met her?
Review
For such a short book there was a lot of detail packed into this book and I am not talking about the characters. This is Wilson’s first novella and for me you can see this in the characters but not in the setting.
Although the book is named Hetty Dorval the main character is Frankie Burnaby who we first meet as a twelve year old girl living in the village Lytton in Canada. The book is told from Frankie’s point of view and we get a blend of her childhood perceptions and her adult thoughts. However, instead of Frankie telling us her life history we actually get only her encounters with Hetty.
Hetty is a complex character who has led a far from blameless life and is very selfish. However, when Frankie meets Hetty as a child she sees only a wonderful woman who enchants her but as she gets older her perceptions of Hetty change and we see this change happening through the book.
This book is definitely a coming of age story but for me the biggest star is the descriptions. The descriptions of where Frankie lives in Lytton and her weekly ride from her lodging to her parents’ farm at the weekend is picturesque and the detail is amazing. You can imagine you are on that ride with Frankie. In fact the descriptions all the way through this book are amazing and make the book a joy to read. For me the characters were a bit thin and lacked substance and I really didn’t like Hetty but the scenery saved this book for me and so I give it 3 out of 5 Dragons.
(All purchases made using one of the above affiliate links gives a small percentage of money to myself with no extra cost to yourself. All proceeds go towards the upkeep of this blog. Thank you ever so much, your support is gratefully received.)
About the author
Ethel Davis Wilson was a Canadian writer of short stories and novels.
Born in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, she moved to England in 1890 following the death of her mother. In 1898, after the death of her father, she was taken to live with her maternal grandmother in Vancouver, British Columbia. She received her teacher’s certificate in 1907, and for thirteen years taught in Vancouver elementary schools.
In 1921 she married Wallace Wilson, President of the Canadian Medical Association and professor of medical ethics at the University of British Columbia.
Wilson is well known as one of the first Canadian writers to truly capture the beauty of British Colombia. She wrote often of places in BC that were important to her and was able to detail the ruggedness and magic of the landscape.
The Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize, British Columbia’s top fiction award, was created in 1985, commemorating Wilson’s achievements.
Forensic archaeologist Ruth Galloway uncovers the bones of a Victorian murderess while a baby snatcher threatens modern-day Norfolk in this exciting new entry in a beloved series.
Every year a ceremony is held in Norwich for the bodies in the paupers’ graves: the Service for the Outcast Dead. Ruth has a particular interest in this year’s proceedings. Her recent dig at Norwich Castle turned up the body of the notorious Mother Hook, who was hanged in 1867 for the murder of five children. Now Ruth is the reluctant star of the TV series Women Who Kill, working alongside the program’s alluring history expert, Professor Frank Barker.
DCI Harry Nelson is immersed in the case of three children found dead in their home. He is sure that the mother is responsible. Then another child is abducted and a kidnapper dubbed the Childminder claims responsibility. Are there two murderers afoot, or is the Childminder behind all the deaths? The team must race to find out-and the stakes couldn’t be any higher when another child goes missing.
Review
It was so good to be reading a Ruth Galloway book again. These books are definitely my comfort reads and during the busy month of December it was the perfect read for me.
Every book in this series I just think the books get better and better but one thing lets this book down for me and that was the lack of my favourite character, Cathbad. Yes he was there on the phone and then there in person about half way through the book but he just wasn’t there enough like he usually is. However, I did love Thing his dog appearing more in this book. I think Cathbad is wonderful, he is eccentric, kind, other worldly and above all an old soul who loves everyone. The book just didn’t feel complete without his presence and of course his purple cloak.
Ruth is her usual chaotic self in this book, trying to juggle work and be a good mom to Kate. Being a single mom is hard but Ruth manages so well and I think Griffiths portrays the struggle of a working single mom brilliantly with Ruth. I also loved seeing Kate’s character starting to appear in this book. She is no longer a baby but a toddler who is starting to know her own mind. I am also with Ruth, why can’t people call Kate by her name and not change it to another form of Kate.
There were some difficult storylines in this book but I thought the parallel of finding the remains of Mother Hook a woman dating from the Victorian times and the present day child abductor worked brilliantly. I also enjoyed Ruth’s involvement with both cases.
I really enjoyed this book and it nearly got a full 5 dragons but I missed Cathbad too much! This book gets a big 4 dragons out of 5.
(All purchases made using one of the above affiliate links gives a small percentage of money to myself with no extra cost to yourself. All proceeds go towards the upkeep of this blog. Thank you ever so much, your support is gratefully received.)
About the author
Elly Griffiths was born in London and began her career in publishing, she then turned to writing full time. In 2016 she won the CWA Dagger in the Library for her work. Griffiths lives in Brighton with her family.
The rules are answer the questions below and share a link to your blog in the comments section of Sam’s blog.
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you will read next?
Hello!
I hope everyone is having a good week so far. We are still trying to get ready for Christmas and it is so nice seeing the decorations go up around the house.
What I am Currently Reading
I’m mainly focusing on Murder at Holly House at the moment because I want a nice festive read.
What I have Recently Finished Reading
Absolutely loved reading about Dr Galloway’s adventures again.
What I Think I will Read Next
As usual I’m not sure what I will read next but it might be one of these books or it might be a more festive read.
Please drop me a comment with your WWW Wednesday and I will head over for a visit.
Her job as a counsellor has been as taxing as it has been rewarding, and she can’t wait for some downtime on the Greek island of Corfu with best-friend, Gabby. But between Eve’s brother, Ben, unexpectedly joining and Gabby’s job at the animal rescue centre keeping her busy, Eve might have to start mucking in…
When Gianni arrives in the village of Episkepsi, it’s like a model has stepped straight off the pages of Vogue Italia… with an uptight personality to match. He may be super-sexy but there are obvious chips on those broad shoulders.
As Eve and Gianni get to know each other and both start to lean into the Greek customs and avrio mentality, an initial attraction starts to turn into something more. But with so much family drama in both their lives, neither of them were looking for a holiday romance…
Review
This is my first book by Mandy Baggot and will definitely not be my last. I read this book whilst on the island of sunny Kos and think this really helped set the atmosphere.
As with a lot of these type of books, some of the scenes and characters verge on the ridiculous but as I was reading this book on a relaxing holiday with plenty of cocktails I was happy to accept the ridiculous. I also thoroughly enjoyed Baggot’s beautiful descriptions of sunny Corfu. It really made me feel like I was there in Corfu but thankfully not experiencing the mosquitos!
Eve is the main character of this book and I will be honest at times I thought she was great and at times she drove me crazy. I understood that she had trauma in her life and struggled to trust but sometimes her reactions especially the main one to Gianni just made no sense. Eve really needs to get her life back on track but the past and worrying for others has held her back. During this book you slowly start to see her mindset change and her realisation she needs to move forward with her life take place.
Gianni is the other main character in this book and he also has his troubles. His troubles have only just recently hit him and they have turned his life upside down. He now finds himself in Corfu trying to find out the answers he desperately seeks.
My all time favourite parts of this book are the scenes in the animal shelter. The animals in this book all have interesting characters and they are all loved and well cared for by Gabby. Seeing Gabby’s relationship and love for the animals was a lovely bonus in the book and a nice break from the romantic scenes.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and it made a lovely read during my holiday. I give this book 4 out of 5 Dragons.
(All purchases made using one of the above affiliate links gives a small percentage of money to myself with no extra cost to yourself. All proceeds go towards the upkeep of this blog. Thank you ever so much, your support is gratefully received.)
About the author
Mandy Baggot is an international bestselling and award-winning romance writer represented by Tanera Simons of The Darley Anderson Literary, TV and Film Agency.
Mandy is best-known for her laugh-out-loud romantic comedies featuring strong heroines, gorgeous heroes and always that happy-ever-after!
The winner of the Innovation in Romantic Fiction award at the UK’s Festival of Romance, her novel, One Wish in Manhattan, was also shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists’ Association Romantic Comedy Novel of the Year award in 2016. Mandy’s books have so far been translated into Bulgarian, Czech, German, Hungarian and Italian.
Mandy loves the Greek island of Corfu, wine, cheese, Netflix, country music and handbags. Also a singer, she has taken part in ITV1’s Who Dares Sings and The X-Factor. Most recently, Mandy took part in BBC1’s Ready Steady Cook with Greek celebrity chef, Akis Petretzikis.
Mandy is a member of the Society of Authors and lives near Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK with her husband and two children.
Goodreads Monday is now hosted by Budget Tales Book Club. All you have to do is show off a book from your TBR that you’re looking forward to reading.
Hello!
I’ve had a busy day putting up Christmas decorations and teaching but I also managed to start my day with a bit of reading as well. I have also finally managed to start some of my festive books.
My chosen book to feature on Goodreads Monday this week is from a series I plan on finishing in 2024. This is the next book I need to read in the series.
A revolution brewing for generations has begun in fire. It will end in blood.
The Free Navy – a violent group of Belters in black-market military ships – has crippled the Earth and begun a campaign of piracy and violence among the outer planets. The colony ships heading for the thousand new worlds on the far side of the alien ring gates are easy prey, and no single navy remains strong enough to protect them.
James Holden and his crew know the strengths and weaknesses of this new force better than anyone. Outnumbered and outgunned, the embattled remnants of the old political powers call on the Rocinante for a desperate mission to reach Medina Station at the heart of the gate network.
But the new alliances are as flawed as the old, and the struggle for power has only just begun. As the chaos grows, an alien mystery deepens. Pirate fleets, mutiny and betrayal may be the least of the Rocinante’s problems. And in the uncanny spaces past the ring gates, the choices of a few damaged and desperate people may determine the fate of more than just humanity.
Please drop me a link with your Goodreads Monday and I will head over for a visit.
Sadly, I missed October’s update on my reading challenge which has also added to my panic because I had no idea how much reading I needed to do to hit my challenge.
I have still not added the height of the digital books I have read so I am hoping they will make a difference as well. Here is the latest height.
The stack now measures 54.5 inches and I must admit I am a little nervous about whether I am going to manage the challenge. I have 12.5 inches to go!
On a quiet street in Dublin, a lost bookshop is waiting to be found…
For too long, Opaline, Martha and Henry have been the side characters in their own lives.
But when a vanishing bookshop casts its spell, these three unsuspecting strangers will discover that their own stories are every bit as extraordinary as the ones found in the pages of their beloved books. And by unlocking the secrets of the shelves, they find themselves transported to a world of wonder… where nothing is as it seems.
Review
This was a book I downloaded for my holidays but never got around to reading so when I had a train trip I started to read it on my phone. I soon got hooked on this book and thought it was a delightful read but sadly that feeling did not last.
The book has a dual timeline. The past is narrated by Opaline (who has a lovely name in my opinion) and the present is narrated by Martha. Opaline has escaped her older brother’s plans for her which involve an unwanted marriage and has gone into the book business. Martha is an Irish woman who has escaped an abusive marriage and found herself a job as a live in housekeeper to a very eccentric old woman.
The book also features Henry who is a scholar desperately trying to find a lost manuscript. This leads him to finding out more about Opaline and meeting Martha in the process. It also leads him to trying to find Opaline’s bookshop but it has completely disappeared.
This book contains some magical realism but isn’t explored enough in my opinion. I would have loved to have learned more about the bookshop and exactly what had happened but it wasn’t explained. The ending was also a massive flop and left so many questions unanswered. It felt like either the author had given up or didn’t know how to explain it herself.
I loved Opaline’s story and thought the author had really done her research on the history. Opaline’s story was heart wrenching at times and I really felt for the character. If it wasn’t for the story of Opaline I’m not sure I would have continued with this book. What started off as a book with so much promise it just fell flat for me and just became a book that I could take or leave. Sadly this book only gets 3 out of 5 Dragons from me.
(All purchases made using one of the above affiliate links gives a small percentage of money to myself with no extra cost to yourself. All proceeds go towards the upkeep of this blog. Thank you ever so much, your support is gratefully received.)
About the author
Evie Woods is the pseudonym of Evie Gaughan, bestselling author of The Story Collector, The Heirloom and The Mysterious Bakery On Rue De Paris.
Living on the West Coast of Ireland, Evie escapes the inclement weather by writing her stories in a converted attic, where she dreams of underfloor heating. Her books tread the intriguing line between the everyday and the otherworldly, revealing the magic that exists in our ordinary lives.
Sudeley Castle: Royalty, Romance and Renaissance by James Parry and Lady Elizabeth Ashcombe
Blurb
Set in the beautiful Gloucestershire Cotswolds, Sudeley Castle exemplifies popular perceptions of the romantic English country house. The final resting place of King Henry VIII’s last wife, Katherine Parr, it is partly castellated and its centuries-old ruins are festooned with roses. This book, the first comprehensive publication about this remarkable castle, traces over 1,000 years of illustrious history from the time of King Aethelred the Unready through the castle’s Tudor heyday and its subsequent decline and fall, before its dramatic rescue during the second half of the 19th century by the Dent-Brocklehurst family, whose descendants still live there. Sudeley’s architectural heritage, art and gardens are all described and illustrated by historical material as well as stunning new photography.
Review
I went to visit Sudeley Castle during half term and absolutely loved it so I was very pleased to see they had a new book out.
The book is mainly the history of the castle right from before it was a castle to present day and it is interspersed with memories from Lady Ashcombe. The castle has a fascinating history and I love the Tudor connections. I also love how the book doesn’t hide the more grizzly history of the castle. The castle’s story during the Civil War is rather brutal.
The memories Lady Ashcombe shares are wonderful and really give an insight into the castle as a family home as well as a tourist attraction. I particularly like the stories of the pranks that Lady Ashcombe’s children pulled on the visitors when they were young.
The book isn’t long at only 160 pages and contains some wonderful pictures of the castle, maps from history and treasures from inside the castle as well as images of the people who have lived in the castle. It is a perfect coffee table book.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The history chosen to feature in the book is well thought out and well written and is perfectly paired with the relevant photos. I will definitely be revisiting this book as well as the castle. I give this book 5 out of 5 Dragons.
(All purchases made using one of the above affiliate links gives a small percentage of money to myself with no extra cost to yourself. All proceeds go towards the upkeep of this blog. Thank you ever so much, your support is gratefully received.)
About the authors
James Parry
James Parry is a Norfolk-based writer and consultant. After training as a conservation officer with English Heritage, he joined the British Council, working in East Africa and the Middle East before returning to the UK to study for a Masters in Architecture. He was then appointed by the National Trust as its academic editor, and was responsible for developing a specialist art and architecture publishing programme. He now writes on art, heritage, natural history and conservation for a wide range of publications and takes a particular interest in the Islamic world.
Lady Elizabeth Ashcombe
Living in Sudeley Castle for over 50 years, making her the longest residing Chatelaine to date, Lady Ashcombe is responsible for opening Sudeley to the public in 1970 and continuing to ensure its success and intrigue to this day. Lady Ashcombe and her family are committed to the continued preservation of the castle, its treasures and the ongoing restoration and regeneration of the gardens, for future generations of visitors to enjoy.
Lady Book Dragon 